Railway-traffic-controlling apparatus



Z7 i g Aug. 7, v1923. 1,464,105 F. H. NncHoLsoN RAILWAY TRAFFIC CONTROLLING APPARATUS Filed Sept. 8, 1920 s Sheets-Sheet 2 Vail-7 To Mam 4 Reservair 4, J

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2. I I INVENTOR:

GZM

H- u ATTORNEY.

F. H. NICHOLSON RAILWAY TRAFFIC CONTROLLING APPARATUS Filed Sept. '8, 1920 3 Sheets-Sheet 3 foMal'n Reservoir I v INVENTORJQ' By a- KW M ATTORNEY. I

ed Y, ions FRANK H. NICHOLSON, 9F VJILKINESEHRG, PENNSYLVANIA, .ErSSIGNGB TU THE UN? W SWITCH & SIGNAL CGMPANY, 9F EalRTISfiVALE, l IlENNSYL'l-Uilill'fl, A COBPURA'EEON PENNSYLVANLA.

BAIEWAY-TEAEZFIEC-G O1? TEOLLIITG .t-lPlPAR-ATUS. 7

Application filed ieptember S, 1920.

i all whom it. may concern:

Be it knot T11 that l, Finimr H. IlIGHOL-- son a citizen of the United States, residing at lVilhinsburg in tle county oi ll eghen and State of Pennsylvania, have invented certain new end useful Improvements in lliiilwsy-Treliic-Controlli11g Apparatus, of which the following is specification.

I y invention relates to railway t-rzrllic controlling apparatus oi the type comprising a railway vehicle, and governing nice-11s thereon including speed responsive device operetivcly connected with or Wheel of the vehicle. The proper operation of apparatus of this characterdepends of course, on the i. ity of the connection between the vewheel and the speed responsive device; if this connection becomes broken the governiiig nieens w .l censeto function properly end e. dangerous condition may arise.

ture ot'niy invention isthe proconncction W .h apparatus of the i liege of the connection between the c; Wheel and the speed responsive olel. describe several ying invento forms of apparatus 1' ll out the novel 9 and will then lectures thereof in he accompanying diagren nitric, showing a railrehicle equipped with one form of opzns embodying my invention and :1 e views showing modifications oi: the apparatus shown in Fig. 1. and also emood iinn my invention.

Similar reference characters refer to siinilei" ports in each of the views.

Referring first. to Fig. 1 the reference cherncte. V designates a railway vehicle which is here represented by an axle =0 and e pair oi? wheels 11 and. 11. liloui .d on the vehicle V is espeed responsive device U which, as here shown, is :1 centrifugal device. This device driven by e wheel of the vehicle, the operatingconnection com.- prising a beveled gear 12 lined to the axle 10, a second beveled. gear 13 meshing; with the firsh a shaft 14: connected with gear 13 and carrying- F beveled gear 70, n beveled T1 meshing with gear i0 and attached to the shaft 72 the centrifugal device C...

referred to of means for detect- Serial No. $08,816:

The speed responsive device C is a part oi: means for governing the vehicle V. This means may be of any desired type, and it is not shown in the drawing for the reason that it is not required for eoinpleteidisclosure of the present invention. The de vice C is prolei-obit arranged to co-oner with the ot elements o l the governing neens throi h the inediun'i of a plate 15 which is operetively connected with the de vice 1, and the horizontal position of which is varied in accordance with the speed con dition of the device C.

The speed responsive device C is so on imaged that it envpart of the driving con traveling miles per hour or more the plate 15' will move to the 5 mile 1 position in approx mately one-half second, Whereas if :i full s 'cc hrs-lie application is made While the vehicle is travel st 20 niiies per hour or more it will require proximately six seconds for the speed oi the vehicle to he reduced hour rroni 20 miles per to five niiles'per hour. I have tziher vantage of this dillerence to indicate a t" ure of the d iving connection between speed respon the ve d evice C axle 10 and eecon'iplish this by the pro vision of slow-acting is into operation when :he I to lo 1 aches the 20 mile per hour position While the ccntrif device C is closiu ind which means wiie.

operate to mp1 5. e hrslres ii the 15 reaches the 5 iiiile er hour position in an interval of time in then six seconds.

The rejterenccharacter timing ieservo'. which is nected toy pipes and I end of a cylinder conteinin- The reservoir i. also con 16 end 18 with e.- ti o-Ws v v. valve is operated in the manner heroine nour explained, Valve A is biased to the right hand position'by a spring 21, and when in this position it connects the reservoir R with atmosphere through an exhaust port 22. When, however, the valve A is reversed, that is, shifted to the left, it. disconnects reservoir R from the exhaust port 22 andconnects this reservoir with apipe 19 which leads to a suitable source of fluid pressure, such as the main reservoir ofthe braking system. The pipe 19 is provided with an orifice 20 of restricted area so that when the valve A is reversed, a considerable period of time, such, for example, as four seconds, is required to raise the pressure in reservoir It to the main reservoir pressure.

Opening into the cylinder 23 near the bottom thereof is pipe 26 which leads to a valve 13. This valve B is normally closed by a spring 3 but may he opened the plate 15, as hereinafter explained. When valve B is open it connects the pipe 26 with a pipe} 27 leading to a brake application valve D. i

The brake application valve D comprises a slide valve which is attached to a piston 29 operating in cylinder 30. Fluid pressure from asuitahle source, such as the main reservoir, is supplied to the valve body 53 i througha pipe 19", and the piston is provided with a small port 32 to permit this pressure to pass to the. left hand side of the piston. The piston 29. and the slide valve 28 are biased to their right hand positions, wherein the; are shown in the drawing, by means or a spring 31. V-Zhen the parts of the valve device I) occupy this position the brakes are released, but when the piston and slide valve move to the left an automatic application of the hralres occurs. The mechanism for causing the brake application is not illustrated because it is not essential to a disclosure of the present invention. In accordance with usual practice the application would beeliected by causing the slide valve 28 to open the rake pipe to atmosphere when shifted to. its left hand position. The lower end of cylinder 23 is provided with exhaust port 25, which port is closed,'however, by an extension 2.4 on the piston when this piston is at the lower end of. its cylinder It follows that when the piston rises, the pipe 26 is opened. ,o atmosphere through the port The operation, of the apparatus shown in Fig. 1 is 'l l illustrated in this view, the crate in the position correspond per hour. I will now assume that the speed oi the vehicle is r duccd to zero. When the speed reaches 20 i per" our, 35 carried by plate 1.5 enqaees a th the stem shift this .lve to the left in This of valve in,

reversal of valve A connects the reservoir R c; to a vehicle speed above 20 miles opposition to the action oi spring 21.

At the 20 mile per hour position valve 11 a stem Withpipel?) leading to the main reservoir, so that fluid pressure is gradually admitted to reservoir B. As the speed of the vehicle reduces, stem 35 is permitted to move to the right with respect to the plate 15 by the compression of spring 36, so that this stem does not interfere with the movement of the plate 15, When a speed of 5 miles per hour is reached, valve B is opened, due to the engagement or" a stud 3? with the stem of this valve. This can not happen, however, until at least six seconds after the reversal of valve A, and since only at secends are required to charge the reservoir R to main reservoir pressure, :it follows, that this pressure will he reached prior to the opening of valve 13. The opening of valve B will admitmain reservoir pressure from valve D and pipe 27 to the lower side of piston 2d, but the upper surface of this piston is now exposed to main reservoir pressure, and inasmuch as the effect1ve area of the upper surface is greater than the effective area or the application of the brakes not incurred.

When the speed or the vehicle increases, the valve B will close at the live mile per hour point, and valve A will return to its normal position when 20 miles per hour is reached, so that reservoir R will then be exhausted to atmosphere through port The parts of the apparatus are thus restored to the positions in which they are shown in the drawing.

I will now assume that while the vehicle is traveling at more than 20 miles per hour theconnection between the centrifugal de vice C andvthc vehicle axle 10 heroines hrolren. The centrifugal device C will then close a more rapid rate than before,- that 1 Oil is, the plate 15 willinove from the20 mile per hour position to the 5 mile per hour position in about one-half of one'second. up i U will he reversed and air at main reservoir pressure will start 7 p strict-ed orifice 20 and into reservoir when the 5 mile per hour position is reached it obvious that the pressure in reservoir R- will stillbe considerably less thaninain reservoir pressure. It follows that when val vc opens, the pressure on the lower face of piston 2% will. he consioerahly in excess of the pressure on the upper surf of this piston, so that the pisthn will raised. This movement of the piston opens pipe 26 to atmosphere through port 25 so that the pressure on the left hand face 0:" piston 29 in valve l) is suddenly reli-li) duced. The main reservoir pressure on the right hand face cl" piston 29 then moves this piston together with slide valve 28 to rheleft, thereby causing an automatic application oi the vehicle brakes. When the pressure in pipe 526 is reduced to a low value, piston 24 drops and closes exhaust port 25. but the brakes do not release because pipe 27 is then connected with atmosphere through pipe 38, chamber in slide valve 28, pipe 40 and port 4.1 in a hand release valve l3. flhis hand release valve comprises a plunger which may be depressed by a push button to stop the flow 01 fluid pressure from pipe 40 to atmosphere. W hen the hand release valve E is operated in this manner the brake application valve will return to its normal position as soon as the pressure on the left hand surface of piston 29 reaches a certain value, whereupon the brakes will be released.

lit will be seen from the vforegoing that l have provided slow-acting means which is set into operation'when the vehicle speed is reduced to 20 miles per hour, and which will cause an automatic application or" the brakes iii the plate reaches the 5 mile per hour position in less than a fixed interval of time. It is understood, however, that the two positions of plate which I hav. specified. are chosen arbitrarily, and that radical departures may be made thereitr'oni withoutdeparting from the scope 01" my invention.

Referring now to Fig. 2, the apparatus shown in this view differs from that shown in F l principally in the manner in which the brake application valve D is governed by the pressure in reservoir R. in Fig. 2

the valves A and B are, for convenience,

mounted on opposite sides of the plate 15, and are actuated by a single stud 35 carried by this plate. The stud 35 is mounted to slide in its supporting plate-and is biased tothe right by a spring 36. At all speeds above miles per hour the right hand end of this stud engages the stem of alve A and so holds this valve to the right, in which position the reservoir R is disconnected from the main reservoir pipe 19 and is connected with. atmosphere through the exhaust orifice in the corrugated stem of the valve. When the speed of the vehicle is reduced to 20 miles per hour, however, the stud leaves the stem of valve A and so permits this valve to be reversed by the fluid pressure in pipe 19, whereupon this pressure is admitted to reservoir lt through the orifice 20 or restricted area and through pipe at.

Leading from the left hand end of the timing reservoir is a pipe which is connected with a second pipe 46 through a ball check valve 4-7. This valve is so arranged as to permit fluid pressure to pass from pipe 46 into pipe 45, but to prevent the transfer inc ines an of fluid in the opposite direction. Pipe 48 is connected at times with pipe 27 through a valve B in the same manner as in 1, it being understood that pipe 27 leads to a brake application valve D as in F 1. When the speed of the vehicle is reduced to 5 miles per hour, the left hand end of the stud 85 engages the stem of valve B and so opens this valve.

Assuming the same values for time and speed. as were assumed in connection with Fig. 1, the operation of the apparatus shown in Fig. 2 is as follows:

With the apparatus in proper order. it the speed of the vehicle is reduced, when 26 miles per hour is reached, the charging of reserv ir R begins, but the pressure in this reservoir reaches main reservoir pressure be fore the speed of the vehicle reaches 5 miles per hour. Consequently when the latter speed is reached and the valve B is opened, the pressures on the opposite sides of the ball check valve 47 are equal, so that there is no change of pressure in the pipe 27 which c ntrols the brake valve application D; it

follows, therefore, that the valve D is not allected.

Assuming now that the driving connec- Eion (Fig. l bet-ween. the centrifugal device the speed oi the vehicle is above 20 miles per hour, it will be apparent that the pressure in reservoir R will not reach main reservoir pressure by the time valve B opens. ressure from pipe 27 therefore. flow past the ball check valve l? and into the timing reservoir R, and the consequent reduction in the pressure on the left hand face of piss ton (F 1) will cause an operation o the valve D to apply the brakes. The brakes may be released in the sa e manner fore, that is, by closing the hand release valre ii and holding'it closed until suiiicient pressure accumulated in the left hand end of cylinder 30 to restore the slide valve 28 to its initial'position.

Referring now to the apparatus here shown is in certain respects the electrical equivalent of the apparatus shown in Figs. 1 and 2. L l i the resor oir ll connected with atmosoucre or will the main reservoir by rncans of a valve A, which controlled by an electroniagnet 50. Wh n the magnet 50 is de-einzrgizcd, the reservoir R is opened to atmosphere through exhaust port 22, but when the niagnet becomes energized the reservoir ll is 5 from ectcu atmosphere is connected with the reservoir through pipe 19. The le end the timing reservoir is cor with a pressure responsive dev' closes a .utact 58 reaches reservo reservoir pressure.

The plate 15, which is moved by the speed J and the vehicle axle becomes broken while lllltl' main are

responsive device C of Fig. 1,-is provided with a block 54 of insulating material which co-operateswvith two contacts 48 and l9 in such manner that contact s8 is closed when the plate 15 is in the 20 mile er hour position and remains closed at all speeds from 20 n iles per hour to 0 miles per hour, inclusive, and that contact iz? opened when the reaches the 5 mile per hour position. These two contacts control the electriapparatus in the iodovving manner:

tie valve D is closed because of theclosure of the following circuit: from battery F, 3:11 wire contact e9, Wires 60 and 66, t Winding 55, and wires 61 and 62 to b -tt ry is long as the magnet Winding 5 energized, armature 56 is held'in such l f hen this t Winding becomes de-energized howthe armature 56 together With the .oger 56 \villdrop, due to gravity and'to brake pipe P, and so Will open this pipe to atmosphere and will cause application of the brakes. The armature and plunger are permitted. to fall until the armature rests against a late 51" which is at such a distance from the inagnetivinding that the armature Will not again be r ised when this Winding become The plate 5' is, however, provia passing through a fixed block 58, the loser end of which stem carries a push button This push button may be elevated by the engineer or driver of the vehicle to restore the plun 'er, 56 so to release the brakes.

li heu the pressure controlled contact 53 is closed, the bralre application valve D is held closed by an auxiliary circuit which passes from battery l through Wires. 68 and V G l, contact-53, wires and 56, magnet Wind- 55, and Wires 61 and 62 to the battery ll. The circuit for magnet 50 is from battery F, through Wires 63 and 6?, contact d8. Wire winding of magnet 50 and Wires 69 and 62 to battery F,

The operation of the apparatus shown in 3 is as follows; l hen the speed of the vehicle is above miles perhour, contact 49 is closed, so that magnet 5-5 is energized and valve D is closed. Assinaing that the speed of the vehicle is above 20 miles per hour and that the speed then decreases, it is apparent that When the 20 mile per hour point is reached magnet 50 Will become energized and reser. voir R will bee'in to charge. Thecharging Will be completed and contact will close before the speed of the vehicle can be re duced to miles per hour. hen the latter speed is reached, the normal circuit for brake valve D will be opened at contact 4Y9, but the auxiliary circuit for this valve Will in the meantime have been closed by :9 is closed, a bralre applica contact 53, so that the valve l) will remain closed. That is, it is understood that the time required to charge reservoir R to main reservoir pressure is less'than the time required for the vehicle to reduce from 20' plunger 57 after contact 53 has closed.

In connection Witlrthe apparatus shown 3 it is apparent that when the vehicle is out of service and there is no pressure in the main reservoir, valve D Will be open so that the braking system cannot be charged with fluid pressure Without the provision of means-for preventing the escape of this pressure the valve D This may, of course, be prevented by holding the valve closed manually during the building up of pressure in the braking system, or it may. be prevented by any other suitable means, which, however, forms no part of my present invention.

in connection with all three of the views it i ent that after the vehicle speed vld below 20 miles per hour for certain period such for example as 5 secnus, failure of the driving connection be Ween the vehicle axle and the speed reisive device Will not cause an application of thevehicle brakes. The failureof the driving apparatus at speeds below 20 miles per hour may, if desired, be indicated in any suitable manner such as by a pointer attached to the plate 15 and located where it canreadily be seen by the engineer or driver of the vehicle.

Although I have herein shown and described only three forms of apparatus em bodying my invention, it is understood that various changes and modifications may be made therein'vvithin the scope of the ap pended claims Without departing from the spirit and scope of-my invention.

-laving thus described my invention, What I claim. is: V

1. In combination, arailvvay vehicle, a centrifugal device operatively connected with a Wheel thereof and forming part of means for governing the vehicle, and separate means for governing the vehicle and effective only if said centrifugal device closes at a rate greater than the rate corresponding to maximum rate of deceleration of the vehicle.

V 2. in combination, a railway vehicle, a. centrifugal device operatively connected ith a Wheel thereof and forming part of lo part of means for governing the vehicle, and

r vehicle, a

Sap 'lfflifl means for governing the vehicle IQSPODSIJG to a change of said device from a higher speed cond tion to a lower speed von nterval of time;

on, a railway vehicle, a

device oneratively cona wheel thereof and forming on in a k resoon d i other means for governing the vehicle said device changes from one speed condition to interval of time or less.

5. in combination, a railway vehicle, a responsive device operatively conwith a wheel thereof and forming of means for governing the vehicle, and

means for governing the vehicle if said device changes from a given higher speed condition to a given lower speed condition in a given interval of time or less.

6. in combination, a railway vehicle, a

speed responsive device operat-ively connected with a wheel thereof and formingpart of means for governing the vehicle, and safety means controlled by said device and set into operation if the device changes from one speed condition to another speed condition in a given interval of time orless.

7. In combination, a railway vehicle, a speed responsive device operatively connected with a Wheel thereof and forming part of means for governing the vehicle, and separate means of governing the vehicle controlled by said device and set into operation only if the device changes from a higher speed condition to a lower speed condition in a shorter interval oi time than that required for the vehicle to change from the corresponding higher speed to the corresponding lower speed at a maximum rate of deceleration.

8. Railway traflic controlling apparatus comprising a vehicle, and governing means thereon including a speed responsive device connected with a wheel of the vehicle, characterized by the combination therewith of a timing reservoir, means controlled by said device for connectim said reservoir with a source of fluid pressure through a restricted orifice when said device reaches a given speed condition while changing from higher to lower speed, and safety means set into op eration if said device reaches a given lower speed condition before the pressure in said reservoir reaches a given value.

9. Railway traiiic controlling apparatus comprising a vehicle, and governing means another speed condition in a given thereon incluvice connected 1th a wl eel of the vehicle, characterized by the combination therewith of slow-acting means set into operation a given speed while said device is chan; from a higher to a lower speed con-(lit and safety means rendered (iffQLiVE if speed responsive crevice reaches al'owor g speed condition store t e operai': slow-actin means cc plated;

10 Railway :1 tic controlling app-er p ing a vehicle, and governii means thei on including a speed responsi o vice is connec a w p e hicle and whi onnccw i the wheel while the is in mcti will change from a given higher s aed conmticn to a given lower speed condition in a considerably shorter interval of time than the time required to the vehicle to change from the corresponding higher to the corresponding lower speed at maximum rate of deceleration; characterized by the con'iloination therewith of slow-acting means set into operation when said device passes through said given higher speed condition while changing from higher to lower speed, the time interval of said slow-acting means being less than the minimum time required for the vehicle to decelerate from such higher to such lower speed but greater than thetime talren by aid speed responsive to change from said higher to said lower speed, condition when disconnected from. the vehicle wheel, and safety means rendered effective if the speed responsive device reaches such lower speed condition before the operation of said slow-acting means is completed.

11. llailway tratlic controlling apparatus comprising a vehicle, and governing means thereon including a speed responsive device which is connected with a wheel of the vehicle and which, if disconnected from the wheel. while the vehicle is in motion, will change from a given higher speed condition to agiven lower speed condition in a time interval A which is considerably less than the time interval B required for the vehicle to change from the corresponding higher lltl lltl

means for driving said device at a speed proportional to the speed of the vehicle, and safety apparatus controlled by the'rate at which said device changes from a condition corresponding to one speed to a condition corresponding to another speed. I

In combination, a railway vehicle, a

speed responsive device thereon, means for driving said device at a speed proportional to the speed of the vehicle, and safety eperatus controlled by the rate atwhich said device changes from one speed condition to another. a

'14:. In combination, a railway vehicle, a centrifugal device thereon, means for driving said device at speed proportional to the speed of the vehicle, and safety apparatus controlled by the rate at which said device closes.

15. In combination, a railway vehicle, a speed responsive device thereon, means for driving said device at a speed proportional to the speed of the vehicle, and means responsive to the rate of change of said device from one speed condition to another for applying the brakes of the vehicle.

In testimony Whereoi I aflix my signature in presence of two Witnesses.

FRANK H. NICHOLSON, Witnesses:

4A. I'IERMAN WEGNER,

A; H. MARANDA. 

